Programs: Center-Sponsored
In addition to internships, Haverford House and the myriad activities supported by its funds, the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship itself organizes a diverse menu of programs.
These Center-sponsored programs take various forms: a semester-long seminar; a weekly discussion of current events; or a day-long symposium on a specific topic. Regardless of the format, all are designed to expose members of the Haverford community to the key global issues of the day and to advance the College’s commitment to peace and social justice.
Below is a sampling of recent Center-sponsored programs:
Human Rights, Right Here
The Center hosted a conference aimed at giving a human rights framework to domestic poverty, hunger, migrant rights, housing, the death penalty and other issues of economic justice. Organized by Haverford House Fellow Cara Curtis ’10, the conference grew out of her work with the Drexel University GROW Project’s “Witnesses to Hunger” program.
Sustainable Business Seminar
The Center collaborated with the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) of Greater Philadelphia to explore the connection between sustainability and commercial activity. In addition to readings and discussions led by SBN Executive Director Leanne Kruger-Braneky, students met with managers of local businesses to learn about the practical application of sustainability principles.
Legislative Advocacy Training
Haverford’s inaugural Friend-in-Residence, Joe Volk, spent over 20 years as head of the Quaker lobby on Capitol Hill. With support from CPGC and Quaker Affairs Office staff, Volk conducted a day-long workshop on legislative advocacy. As part of the workshop, students met with congressional delegations in Washington, DC, to lobby on behalf of social justice issues.
Perpetual Peace Project
The Center collaborated with the John B. Hurford ’60 Humanities Center and the Slought Foundation to bring to Haverford’s campus an interactive project designed to spark intellectual dialogue around notions of peace. The project drew its name from Immanuel Kant’s essay, Toward Perpetual Peace, which inspired on-campus discussions by students from selected courses.
Solidarity Economy Tour
In conjunction with Political Science Professor Craig Borowiak’s research, the Center organized a tour of solidarity economy enterprises in the Philadelphia area. The tour included site visits to a food cooperative, an urban farm established in a traditional food “desert,” and a discussion of alternative currencies.
Davis Projects for Peace
The Center serves as the College’s coordinating agency for this national fellowship program, which provides qualified students with grants of $10,000 to pursue peace-related projects. This year two Haverford students, Maia Freudenberger ’13 and Naila Ijaz ’14, were selected for this prestigious prize.
2011 Migration Field Study Tour
The Center again ofered a winter break study tour to Mexico focused on migration issues. This program, mounted with local partner Casa de los Amigos, exposed students to the nuances of migration through briefings by non-profit organizations and daily seminar-type discussions led by Haverford History Professor, James Krippner.
Reporting from Haiti
The Center hosted a talk on campus by Allyn Gaestel '09 who shared her insights on relief and recovery efforts in Haiti. She cited her past CPGC internships as preparation for her current work as an independent reporter.
Past programs include:
Inside/Out Seminar (Spring 2009)
This for-credit seminar provides both Haverford and incarcerated students with an opportunity to engage issues of crime, punishment and social justice. Its objectives are to provide a basic overview of criminal justice theory and practice; explore alternative practices; conduct critical analysis of criminal justice and social injustice; and to create a safe space in which inside and outside students can explore their personal perspectives together.
A Symposium on the Global Water Crisis (Spring 2008)
Working with the College’s Koshland Integrated National Sciences Center, the Center sponsored a day-long symposium on the global water crisis in March 2008. The purpose of the symposium was to draw attention to the world crisis of diminishing fresh water locally, nationally and globally. Featured speakers included experts on water resource management in Africa and China, a water-rights lawyer from Colorado, and a panel of activists who discussed water issues in the Greater Philadelphia area. Current students studying this topic also presented their research. Visit the symposium website.
Burmese Peace Forum (Fall 2007)
The Center hosted a forum on the current political/economic situation in Burma/Myanmar following anti-government demonstrations by Buddhist monks.
“Living King’s Legacy” Symposium (Spring 2008)
The Center co-sponsored an inspiring symposium featuring the work of those who are extending the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and centered on civil rights, racial and economic justice, building beloved communities and non-violent social change.